


I Would Do Anything for You

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Angst, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-09-23
Updated: 2006-09-23
Packaged: 2019-05-15 05:42:02
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 30
Words: 20,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14784579
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: The newest member of the Bartlet family is kidnapped.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

Chapter 1

_May 2007_

_White House Residence_

“Surprise!!”

Ellie stood at the door of the Residence’s living room, totally shocked at the scene before her.  The room was decorated in pink and blue streamers and gifts of all sizes and descriptions were piled on the large table behind the sofa.

“Ellie, cat got your tongue?” as Abbey walked up to her middle daughter.

She turned to her mother and smiled.  “I guess it does Mom.  I’m really surprised.”

“Great!” as Zoey hugged her middle sister.

Liz and Annie had to do the same.  Then her mother gave her one of the tightest hugs she had ever had in her life. 

“Mom, you told me we were having a family dinner tonight.  I guess this is the real reason you told me to come.”

“Well. Ellie, how else could I get you and Vic down here without spilling the beans?  By the way, where is Vic?”  

“Dad grabbed him as we came in.  I think there’s some kind of baseball game on or something.”

Abbey smiled.  She knew the afternoon would be no fun for Jed.  Vic was not the sports kind of guy.  But Ellie would have a great time.

“Well, my schedule is so hectic the next few weeks that I wanted to do this now.  But there is no way that I’ll miss your delivery.  No way.”

“Thanks.  Mom.  I want you to be there.  You know, moral support.  Besides, I don’t trust Vic.”

Laughter filled the room.  Liz and Abbey nodded.  Through her laughter, Liz agreed.  “Ellie, when it comes to men and delivery, it’s better to have back-up.  Trust me.”

Abbey broke in.  “Now, wait a minute.  Your father was there for me all the time I was in labor with you three.  I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  Besides, he only fainted twice.”

More laughter echoed across the room.

“Come on and sit down Aunt Ellie.  Have a piece of cake.  Want some punch?”

Ellie smiled.  Annie had certainly grown up.

“I’m fine, baby.  I’m only pregnant.  It’s no big deal.”

“Oh yeah, right!!”  Liz burst out laughing.

Ellie turned to her sister who had sat down next to her.  

“Only pregnant?  You make it sound like it’s a walk in the park, sister dear.  Let me just tell you what you’re about…”

“Sush, Liz.  Ellie will find out in due time.”  Abbey debated about continuing the conversation but decided that labor and delivery was not a good topic at the moment.

“Oh come on Mom.  I’m a big girl now.  I think I can take anything you or Liz say with a grain of salt.  Labor doesn’t scare me at all.  What really scares me is after the baby is born.  He…”

“Did you say ‘HE’?”

Sheepishly, Ellie smiled and nodded.  They had known for a few months that the baby was going to be a boy but had decided not to tell anyone. “Yes, Mom.  It’s a boy.”

“When did you find out?”

“Sometime ago.”

“Oh honey,” as Abbey threw her arms around her eight months pregnant daughter.  “I’m so happy.  And your father will be ecstatic.  A boy!”

“Hey!”  Liz called.  “I have a grandson.  The FIRST grandson.”

Abby turned to her oldest daughter.  “Your father is ecstatic about Gus but this is number two.  He loves boys.  At least as grandchildren goes.”  Abbey got quiet for a moment.  She had always wanted to give Jed a son but that had never happened.  She knew he loved his daughters deeply but there was just something about a son.  And now he would have two grandsons.  

“Yes, you have the first grandson but you know your father.  He will love this one as much as he loves Gus.”

Liz smiled.  She knew both of her parents had plenty of love to go around.  She was not worried in the least of Gus being neglected by either one of them.

“Okay, let’s get this party rolling.”


	2. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 2

It almost midnight before the partying ended.  After the baby shower, the whole family had had a very enjoyable dinner.  Jed had been almost civil to Vic but Abbey could see Vic’s visible relief when he and Ellie had gotten in the car for the return trip to Baltimore.  She thought he had never quite gotten over the stress of being married to the President’s daughter.  But the important thing was that they were in love and would make a good home for this unexpected but joyously welcomed baby.

Liz, Annie and Zoey were spending the night in the Residence.  Liz and Annie would leave the next morning and return to Manchester and Doug and Gus.  They had not been invited to the girls weekend and when Gus had learned the reason for the trip he was glad that he had not been forced to go.

Both Jed and Abbey were lying in bed, the light was off and each was lost in their own thoughts.

“Jed?”

“Yeah?”

“Are you asleep?”

“I guess not.  What’s on your mind?”

“Nothing.”

“Now Abbey, something is on your mind.  You wouldn’t have asked if I was asleep if something wasn’t on your mind.”

“Nothing…”

“Abigail…”

Abbey smiled.  Calling her full name was an indication that Jed was getting a tad frustrated with her line of questioning.

“Did Ellie tell you anything tonight?”

“What should she have told me?”

“Umm, anything.  Did she tell you anything?”

“She asked me to pass the salt.”

“That’s not exactly what I had in mind.  Did she tell you anything important?”

“Well, she asked me how I was feeling.  Is that important enough?”

“Well, yeah.  I mean, I guess.”

Jed leaned away from her and turned on the bedside lamp.  He then turned back to face his wife, propping himself on his elbow. 

“Okay, tell me what Ellie should have told me.  I know you want to or else you would let us both get some sleep.”

“Well, I really shouldn’t.  I mean she didn’t tell me to keep it a secret or anything but…”

“ABIGAIL!  Tell me now or shut up!”

“Okay.  But you didn’t hear it from me.”

“ABIGAIL!!!”

“You are going to have another grandson.”

“What?!”

“Ellie is having a boy, Jed.”

“A boy.  That’s great!”

“Now wait a minute, you love your granddaughter just as much as you do Gus.”

“I do.  I didn’t mean to imply otherwise.  But Abbey, a boy.  Just think about what we three guys can do.  Baseball games, playing catch, that sort of thing.”

“Annie can do those things too.”

“I know.  But it’s a guy thing.  You don’t understand.”

Abbey laughed.  She knew Jed loved Annie as deeply as he did Gus.  He had plenty of love to go around.

“When did you find out?”

“This afternoon at the shower.  She let it slip.  She said that she and Vic weren’t going to tell anyone yet but it kind of fell out.  I told her to tell you but I guess with all the noise and celebrating she just forgot.”

“Have they picked a name yet?”

“Ellie wouldn’t tell me if they have.  But she said that Josiah was not on the list.”

Jed’s smile faded, then came back.  “That’s okay.  I wouldn’t want a child to be faced in this day and age with the teasing that would go on if he was named Josiah.”

“Now Jed, you didn’t get that much teasing did you?”

“No, not really.  But it was a different time as well.  Besides, it is up to the parents to name the child.  We named each of ours without any assistance from our parents.  And we did pretty well.  I don’t think any of them got teased about their name did they?”

Abbey shook her head.  “No.  But nobody could spell Zoey correctly until she learned how to recognize her own name and correct her teachers.  But all in all, everybody was named with reasonable names.  Let’s just pray Vic and Ellie have some sense when it comes to name and doesn’t name like some of those movie star babies.  Names like Apple and Phinnaeus just doesn’t do anything for me.”

“Well, apparently it did for those parents.  Now, can I get some sleep?”

“Sure.  Love you.”  Abbey leaned over and kissed him goodnight.  He returned the kiss and then rolled over to turn off the light.

“Love you too.”


	3. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 3

_Three weeks later_

_Wednesday 9 pm_

“Abbey, have you heard from Ellie?”

“What do you mean?”

They were sitting in the Residence, trying to unwind from a couple of hectic days.  Abbey had on some cotton pajamas, a clear indication to Jed that she didn’t want to mess around tonight.  So he had put on a pair of sweats and his always useful Norte Dame t-shirt.  Abbey had her feet in his lap, encouraging the rubbing that he was unconsciously doing.

“I meant, have you heard from our pregnant, past due daughter?  She’s already two days past her due date and I was wondering if you’ve talked with her?”

Abbey laughed.  “Yeah, worry-wart.  I have.  She’s miserable, can’t get any sleep, and has to pee fifteen times an hour.  Is that good enough?”

“Well, what does the doctor say?  Is he going to help matters along?  She’s two days late.”

“Jed, calm down.  Mother Nature will help her along.  Two days is not that much.  The doctor told her that if labor hasn’t started in a couple of days, then he’ll help things along.”

“Okay, okay.  This is tough for an old guy like me.  The waiting, the not knowing.”

“Jed,” as Abbey leaned over and cupped his face.  “You’re not doing the waiting so calm down. You’re not nine months pregnant or the husband who is emotionally drained by now.  You’ve had your turn with all that.  Vic has promised to call us if there’s any action.  Besides, if he doesn’t, then I’m sure Ron will get word and let us know.”  She gave him a gentle kiss and leaned back.  “Now, what were we doing?”

He took his hands and slid them under her shirt, gently rubbing her breasts and feeling her nipples harden under his touch.

“Jed….” as Abbey tried to talk but losing her voice.  Instead, as her husband continued his motions, she began to purr with arousal.

“Having fun, dear?”

Nodding was the only response Abbey could give.  

Jed took the time to undo her buttons, releasing her breasts.  He lay down on top of her and began to suckle the hard nipples, rolling his tongue around them when he wasn’t sucking.  His hand continued to rub the other nipple, patiently waiting its turn for his ministrations.  As they became more aroused, he helped her get rid of her pants as well.

“Now we can get down to business.”

She felt his hardness through his cotton pants, straining to release itself from its confines.  Abbey cupped him, letting Jed know that time was here to remove this barrier.  “Only if you accept the dress code.”  In seconds, Jed had complied with her request.

As the action began to heat up and the arousal of each reached a fever pitch, the phone rang.

“Let the machine get it” as Jed positioned himself over her body, anticipating his entry into her warm and moist opening where his fingers had already done the preliminary work.

Abbey laughed softly.  “Jed, there’s no machine.  It could be Leo.”

“Damn,” as he leaned backwards, reaching for the phone.  “I’m going to kill me a Chief of Staff.  Leo, it had better be…”

“Sir, it’s Vic.  We’re on our way to the hospital.  Ellie’s water just broke.”

“Ellie?  Water?”

Abbey quickly grabbed the phone.  “Vic, did you just say that Ellie’s water has broken?”

“Yes, ma’am.  We’re on our way.  The agent will drive us.”

“Tell her that I’ll be there in about an hour.  Okay?”

“I’ll give her the message.  Listen, I gotta go.”

“Go.  Give Ellie our love and tell her we’ll be there soon.”

“Yes, ma’am.  I will.  Goodbye.”

As Abbey put the phone down, she looked at her naked husband in amusement.  “You know we can’t finish this now.”

“I bet we can.  Let’s take a stab at it,” as he again lowered himself onto her and began the travels of his fingers to her opening.

“Jed,” as Abbey reluctantly pushed him away.  “Put on some clothes.  We’re leaving.”

“Awww, Abbey.”

She leaned up to kiss him.  “I know Hon.  I understand.  Tell Old Hickory I’ll take a rain check.”

He grabbed a pillow and swatted her before reluctantly relinquishing his position.  “I’m going to hold you to it.”

“I’m sure you will.”

 


	4. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 4

_Thursday 4 am_

_John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore_

“Abbey, it’s been six hours.  SIX hours!  When will this baby come?  It’s taking forever.”

“I’m sure the baby will make an appearance when he wants to.  You know it took me forever with Liz.  That’s normal for first babies.  It takes time.  Why don’t you go call Leo?  He’ll keep your mind off of this.”  ‘And make my life easier as well,’ Abbey thought.

“I don’t need to talk with Leo.  I need to see my daughter.  Besides, I don’t trust Fruit-Fly Guy.”

“Jed, watch what you say.  He is the father of your grandson.”

“Okay.  Okay.  But he’s still Fruit Fly Guy.”

Abbey sighed.  Sometimes she just wanted to strangle her lovely husband.  But then love usually won out.  Besides, who else would she have loved so much that she wanted to kill him?  Only one man and that was the man pacing in front of her.

“You want anything to eat?”  Abbey motioned to the table of fruit and water that had been set up for the First Couple.

“I’m too nervous to eat but go ahead if you want to.”

“I’m not hungry right now.  I’ll get something later.”

“Abbey, I have a great idea.  Why don’t you go in there and check on her yourself?  You can then tell me what’s going on.”

“Jed, she wants it to be just her and Vic.  She’s allowing us here but she gave me very specific instructions to be left alone.  Do you want to be thrown out?  I’ll wait until Vic comes out.”

“No.  Sorry.  I just want to know what’s going on.”

Abbey stood and slipped her fingers into his.  “I know Jed.  I’m worried too.”

As she leaned in to give Jed a reassuring kiss, the door to the private waiting room opened and Vic came in.

One look at his pale face told Jed and Abbey more than they really wanted to know.  There was some kind of trouble.

“Mr. President, Abbey, the baby’s heart rate is dropping and they’re taking Ellie for an emergency C-section.  But she wants to talk with you for just a minute.”

“Oh, God, Jed.  Come on.”

Abbey took Jed’s hand and led him into Ellie’s room.  Ellie was lying on her side in the bed, the monitor indicating that the baby’s heart rate was going up and down.  An oxygen mask had been placed over her face, but it couldn’t hide the fact that Ellie had been crying.

Leaning over the bed, Abbey swept her hand over her daughter’s forehead.  “It’ll be okay, hon.  The doctor’s going to take care of you.”

Jed leaned over the other side of the bed and kissed her hand.  “Ellie, it’ll be fine.  The doctors are good here.”

New tears fell from Ellie’s blue eyes.  Abbey brushed them away.  “Shh, it’ll be okay. Your father and I love you and we’ll be here.”

“Mom, I’m scared,” her voice muffled by the mask.  Abbey could see the fear in her eyes.  “It’ll be okay.  I promise.”

The nurse interrupted the family scene.  “I’m sorry.  We have to go.  Now.”

Jed stepped back and went back around the bed to hold his wife, who was still holding her daughter’s hand.  “Abbey, sweetie, they have to take her.  You gotta let go.”  Abbey continued to look at her daughter, even as their contact was broken by the bed being pushed away from her.

As the door closed and they were left in an empty room, Abbey turned to Jed and leaned into his shoulder.  “She’ll be fine, won’t she?”

A soft kiss was the only answer Jed could give.


	5. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 5

_Thursday 4:20 am_

“How long does a c-section take?  I need to know that she’s okay.  And the baby.  Oh God, Abbey, what if something happens to either one of them?  I can’t even think that.”

Abbey walked over and stopped in Jed’s path.  She put her hands on his shoulder and forced his eyes to look into hers.

“Everybody will be fine.  We have to think that way.”

“But how much longer?  How long has it been since they took her?  I thought Vic would come and tell us something.”

“Jed, calm down.  It’s only been twenty minutes.  They probably have the baby out by now.  It doesn’t take long but they’ve got a lot to do with Ellie.  This is major surgery and …” the words out of her mouth before she realized she shouldn’t have said them.

Jed’s eyes dilated and Abbey could see that tears were not too far away from falling.  

“Shhh, it’ll be okay,” as she leaned her head against his.  “It has to be okay.”

A few minutes passed as they gathered support for whatever was happening behind the closed doors just in front of them.

“I’ll be okay when I know both of them are okay.  I’m a father.  I get to worry about my children and their children.”

“I know, hon.  I know exactly how you feel.  But she’s in good hands.  The doctors here at Hopkins are the best and I’m sure that Ellie picked a good one.  She’s got some good sense.”

“But Abbey, what if….”

“Shhh.  We can’t think that way.  We have to believe everything is okay and we’ll see both of them real soon.”

Breaking the embrace, Jed stepped back and started pacing again.  Abbey sat down in one of the hard plastic chairs in the waiting room.  She too hoped that things would be okay.

Silence permeated the room for the next few minutes as each was lost in their own thoughts.

The door opened and Vic walked in, neither Jed nor Abbey realizing he was there until he spoke.  


	6. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 6

“You have a grandson.”

Their heads jerked up at the sound of Vic’s voice.  They were greeted with a big smile.

“Is everything okay?”  The doctor in Abbey came out before the mother and new grandmother could respond.

Vic nodded his head.  “Yeah.  The baby is fine.  Six pounds, eight ounces.  He had a little trouble breathing at first but the doctors tell me he’ll be okay.”

“What about Ellie?”

Vic turned to respond to his father-in-law.  “She’s fine.  They’re finishing up.  She’ll be in recovery in about half an hour.  And the nurse said you both could see her then.  Want to see Thomas Victor, known as Tom to his family?”

Abbey smiled.  “I sure do.  Come on Jed.  Vic, where do we go?”

Vic pointed to another door.  “The nursery’s through there.”

With quick steps, the new grandparents wasted little time to arrive where the newest Bartlet family member lay.

As they reached the big picture windows, the nursery staff smiled and pointed out which infant was the President’s grandson.  It had taken only a glance at one of the most photographed couples in the world to know which baby was being sought.  Besides, it was already over the hospital that the President’s grandchild was being born today.  The hospital grapevine had gone into overdrive with that bit of news.

A plastic oxygen hood enveloped Tom’s blond fuzz-covered head as he squirmed on the bed of the warmer.  A thermometer cable was taped to his bare chest with a little silver heart.  But no other equipment was present.  A good sign that somewhat pleased the new grandmother.

“Vic, he’s still on oxygen?”

Vic walked up to Abbey’s side.  “Yeah.  The neonatologist said it was just a precaution.”

Abbey sighed.  She would have preferred not to have any equipment.  “Okay.  I guess he’s just being careful.”

“Abbey, the doctor didn’t seem too worried in the delivery room.”

“Okay.” 

“He’s so red.”

“Well, yeah, Jed.  A new baby is always flushed.  Don’t you remember that with the girls?”

“Abbey, it’s been quite a few years since the girls were newborns.  I forget those things.  Look, he’s got my eyes.”

Abbey laughed.  “How can you tell that?  His face is swollen from delivery.”

“I can hope, can’t I?”

Vic stood to the side, wistfully listening to this conversation.  He wished his parents could be here too, but because they had to travel, it would be tomorrow before they arrived.

“Sir, Abbey, I need to go check on Ellie.”

Abbey turned to her son-in-law.  “Go ahead.  Please let us know when we can see her.”

“I will.”

“And Vic, give her our love.”

“I will, sir.  I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

As Vic turned to walk back down the hall, Abbey walked over next to Jed and slipped her fingers through hers.  “See, I told you everything would be all right.”

She leaned next to him, looking at their newest grandchild in the nursery warmer.  “Thank you God for keeping Tom and Ellie safe.”

Jed squeezed her hand.  “Amen.”


	7. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 7

_Thursday 6:30 am_

Abbey pushed the door open to Ellie’s room.  

“Hi, Mom, have you seen Tom?”

Abbey walked over to the bed and leaned down to give her daughter a light kiss on the cheek.  “I have, sweetie.  And he’s perfect.  Just perfect.”

Ellie looked around for her father.  “Where’s Dad?”

“Leo called and he had to go back to the White House.  But he said to tell you that he loved you and he’s so proud of Tom.  He’ll try to come back in a couple of hours.”

Sighing, Ellie shifted slightly on the bed.  “Oh, it hurts.”

“Honey, you’ve had major surgery.  Want me to call the nurse?”

“No.  I want to see Tom.  I only got a peek at him in the operating room.”

“Ellie, you need to get comfortable before you hold him.  That means get some pain relief and a nap.  Don’t you think that’s a better idea?  Then you’ll be fresh and can hold him longer.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s a good idea.  I do hurt and I have been up all night.”

“You’ve been though a lot.  I’ll go let the nurse know.”

“Thanks.”

***

In a few minutes, Ellie dropped off to sleep as Vic sat by her bedside.

“I’m going to leave you two alone.  I’ll be at the nursery.”

“Thanks Abbey.  I think Ellie appreciates having you here.” 

“I’m sure she does.  Thank you for allowing us to share this with you.”

“It’s what we wanted.  If my parents didn’t live so far away, they would have been here too.”

Abbey nodded and walked out.  She motioned to her agent the direction she was going and the agent followed a discrete distance, giving the First Lady some space.

Abbey approached the nursery window and looked for her new grandson.  Not finding him, she tapped lightly on the window to get the nurse’s attention.

The nurse walked over to the intercom and replied, “Can I help you Mrs. Bartlett?”

“Yes, my grandson, where is he?”

“Ma’am, he’s with his mother.”

“No, he’s not.”

“I know he is.  The aide came in a few minutes ago and said his mother wanted to see him.  I watch her wrapped him up and place him in a rolling crib.  That’s how we transport babies.”

“I just came from my daughter’s room.  And he’s not there.”

“Ma’am, I know he is.”

Abbey knew this conversation was not going anywhere.  She motioned to the agent to come over.  “Will you please check with my daughter’s agent and see if my grandson is in the room?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

After a few words, the agent paled and looked at the First Lady.

“No ma’am.  He’s not there.”

“OH GOD NO!”


	8. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 8

Abbey’s scream echoed off the tiled walls.  “You have to find him!  You have to find him!”

Her agent was talking furiously into her mic and soon two more agents hurriedly approached the small gathering in the hall.

“Ma’am, we are instituting a search right now.  I need for you to go back to your daughter’s room.”

“I can’t tell her.  Not yet anyway.”

“Mrs. Bartlet, security has been breached and we need you in a secure location during the search.  Please, ma’am.  Now.”  The agent gently pulled the First Lady toward an empty conference room.

Abbey knew they were only doing this for her safety and allowed herself to be pulled into the empty room.  She turned to the agent.  “Ask my son-in-law to join me, will you?  And don’t say a word to him about this.  And I want to talk with the neonatologist.”

“Yes ma’am.  Just stay here.  I’ll be right outside.”  

“Fine.”

Abbey pulled out her cell phone and dialed the familiar number.  Getting no answer, she forwarded the call to Debbie.

“Debbie?  Hi, where is the President?”  She tried to keep her voice calm, even though she was totally devastated at the turn of the events.

“He’s in the Situation Room, ma’am.  And congratulations on your new grandbaby.”  With those words, Abbey had to work hard to suppress the tears that threatened to fall.  Regaining some composure, Abbey replied, “Thanks.  Ask Jed to call me on my cell when he has time.  It’s very important.”

“Yes, ma’am.  I’ll make sure he gets the message.”

“Thanks, Debbie.”  As she flipped the phone closed, the door was opened and Vic entered the room.  

“Abbey, what’s wrong?  All the agent said was that you wanted to talk with me.”

“Is Ellie still asleep?”

“Yeah.  Between the pain medicine and the fatigue she’ll be asleep for a while.”  

“Good.  Vic, sit down, I have to tell you something.”

“Okay.”  Confused, he pulled out a chair and sat down.  “What’s wrong?”

Abbey sat down and stared at her son-in-law’s face for a minute before speaking.  She knew he had to be told but it was a heavy heart that she had to be the one to tell him.

“Vic, this is hard for me to say.  But you have to know.”

“Know what?”

Taking a deep breath, Abbey forced the words out of her mouth.  “Tom’s missing.”


	9. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 9

“What did you just say?”

“I said that the baby is missing from the nursery.  I went down to see him after Ellie fell asleep and when I didn’t see him, I asked the nurse where he was.  She insisted that the baby was in your room but Ellie’s agent confirmed that he was not.  The Service is searching the hospital for him now.”

“I don’t believe it.  I won’t believe it.  I mean, why take him?  He’s just a little baby.”

“Vic, he’s the President’s grandchild.  That’s enough for someone to take him.  I can’t believe that he’ll be harmed but somebody probably wanted to harm us so they’re using him.  I’m sorry, Vic.  Nobody could anticipate this happening.”

“Oh God, how am I going to break the news to Ellie?  She’s going to have to be told.”

Abbey’s heart ripped completely in two.  Her daughter would be devastated.  Totally, utterly devastated.  And her father would be ripped apart as well.  “Let’s not wake her.  Tom may be found before she wakes up.  Let’s not tell her any sooner than we have to.”

Vic nodded, then broke into heart wrenching sobs.  Abbey got up and pulled him into her arms.  But what could she say?  She had no clue where the baby had been taken and by whom.  And why.   Why would someone use such an innocent baby to take out their anger about something the President did or didn’t do?  Right now there were no answers.  The only thing that mattered now was how Tom was and helping Ellie and Jed through the next few hours.  Helping all of them get through the hours ahead.  

Abbey shuddered.  This was now the time for faith.  Faith that God would keep Tom safe and give the family the strength to make it through until Tom was back safe in his mother’s arms.

At the sound of someone knocking at the door, Vic sat up and wiped the tears off his face.  He looked to his mother-in-law and found only love in her eyes.  He always knew she was the strong one in the family.  Abbey would make things better.  She had to.  His son’s life hung in the balance.

“Come in.”

The door pushed open and a tall, gray-haired man entered.  His white lab coat and scrubs indicated he was some kind of medical professional.  Maybe this was the neonatologist.

“Dr. Bartlet, Mr. Faison, I’m Dr. Walker.  I’m in charge of your son.  I’m so sorry this has happened.”

Vic extended his hand, shaking firmly with this distinguished gentleman.  “Thank you, Dr. Walker.”

The two doctors turned toward each other and shook hands.  “Dr. Bartlet, I’m so sorry for this incident.  We’re doing everything we can to locate your grandson.”

“I appreciate that very much.  I know the hospital will cooperate fully with the Secret Service and find him soon.”

“Yes, ma’am.  I’ve already been asked questions by one of the agents and told him that I didn’t know how this could happen.  We have electronic bracelets placed on each baby’s leg and it can’t be taken off without setting off an alarm inside our unit.  So the baby has to be inside the unit or else we would have heard the alarm sound.”

“Who has the authority to remove those bracelets?”

“It requires a special electronic sensor that only the charge nurse carries and it’s handed off to the next charge nurse when they change shifts.  And the bracelet would alarm if it was cut into.”

“Does anyone else have access to that sensor?”

“They’re not supposed to.”

Vic wanted to know about his son.  “Doctor Walker, Tom had some trouble breathing when he was born.  And I think he was on oxygen in the nursery.  If he doesn’t get the oxygen, will that be a problem?”

Dr. Walker paused before responding.  “Mr. Faison, your son may have a heart defect.  On my initial exam I thought I heard a murmur.  And I was scheduling tests for confirmation when he disappeared.  I don’t know if it’s serious but if it is, he would need the oxygen to remain stable.  I wish I could tell you more.”

Vic and Abbey exchanged glances.  Abbey swallowed hard and turned to face the physician.  “How serious do you think it is?”

“I wish I could tell you something.  It could be a number of things.”

Abbey asked the question she didn’t want answered.  “What exactly are you talking about?”

Dr. Walker looked directly at his colleague.  He knew that the First Lady was a cardio-thoracic surgeon and decided not to mince words with her, however bad the news could be.

“We could be dealing with a ventricular septal defect or even worse, transposition of the great vessels.  If it is a hole in the wall between the chambers of his heart, it might seal on its own.  But if its transposition, then it could get very serious, very fast, as you know Dr. Bartlet.”

Vic looked at the two professionals, confused about what the doctors were talking about.  “Hey, talk English will you?”

Abbey turned to her son-in-law, a grim look on her face.  “Transposition of the great vessels means the main vein and the main artery that takes blood to and from the heart are switched so the side that should be receiving blood full of oxygen is actually receiving blood that has very little oxygen.”

“But he was okay in the nursery.  He didn’t have a whole lot of oxygen on him.  So it’s probably not that, right?”  Vic asked hopefully, turning to the neonatologist for an answer.

“He wasn’t even three hours old when he disappeared so I have very little information for an accurate prognosis at this time.  Sometimes it takes longer than three hours for any symptoms to occur.  I would prefer him to be here right now so we could watch him.”

Vic stood suddenly.  “You keep saying disappeared.”  Vic was getting angry at using that euphemism.  “He was kidnapped.  Can’t you just say he’s been KIDNAPPED!?”

“Vic…”

Upset, Vic turned to face his mother-in-law.  “And it’s all your fault.  If he wasn’t the President’s grandson he would be here, safe in his mother’s arms.  In my arms.  If my son dies, it will be all YOUR fault.”  He turned quickly and slammed the door as he left the conference room.

“It’ll be okay, Dr. Bartlett.”

“God, I hope so.”


	10. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 10

_Thursday 8:15 am_

Abbey remained in the conference room after Dr. Walker left.  She understood Vic’s need to lash out.  Hell, she wished she could lash out at someone as well.  Blame someone.  But she needed to focus on getting Tom back.  She had to stay focused.

Fatigue was beginning to wear her down.  But she still had to tell Jed and then be available for Ellie.  She would need her mother.

As Abbey flipped her cell phone open, it rang.  Looking at the number, her shoulders sagged.  It was Jed calling her back.  How was she going to tell him about this?  

“Hi, hon.”

“Hi yourself.”

“How’s my favorite grandson?  I can’t get away yet but I can’t wait to see Ellie holding her new child.  I remember how you would hold…”

“Jed!  Stop!”  Abbey broke into sobs.  

“Abbey, what’s wrong?  Is something the matter with Ellie?  Is she okay?”

“Oh god Jed, it’s not about Ellie.”

“Abbey, tell me.  What’s wrong with Tom?”

“Jed,…Jed….I don’t how to tell you this.”  Abbey had calmed down just enough to speak clearer.  “Tom is missing from the nursery.”

“MISSING?!  Did you just say missing?”

“Yes.”

“How the hell could he be missing?  The hospital had to have some kind of security for the babies.  How could someone take him?”

“We don’t know that he’s been taken.  It just that someone, an employee, came to the nursery and said she was bringing the baby to Ellie but they never arrived at the room.  The hospital security, the Baltimore police and the Secret Service is turning this place upside down, looking for him.  But they’ve found nothing yet.”

There was a pause while Jed sought to phrase his next question, wishing he didn’t have to ask it.  “How is Ellie?  How did she take the news?”

Abbey took a deep breath before answering.  “She doesn’t know yet.  They gave her some pain medicine and she’s asleep.  Vic is mad at us because if it wasn’t the President’s grandson then Tom would be okay.  And there’s one other problem.”

“Another one?”

Abbey’s voice cracked as she answered.  “Yeah.  Tom might have a serious heart defect.  They were scheduling tests when he was kidnapped.”

There was only silence on the other end.  Finally, Jed responded.  “Okay.  I’ll be up there within the hour.  I want to be there for you and Ellie.  Wait a minute.  Leo’s trying to get my attention.”

Mumbled voices came over the line until Abbey heard Jed scream, “Why the hell not?”

“Jed, what’s going on?”

“Leo and Ron are both in here and they say I can’t leave the White House until Tom is found.  Ron doesn’t believe its all part of a bigger plot against me but he’s not willing to take any chances.”

Abbey started crying again.  “I need you, Jed.  I need your strength and your love.  And Ellie will need you too.  Isn’t there any way you can come?”

Jed shook his head.  “Abbey, they’re both adamant about me not leaving here.  I’ll come at the earliest time they will let me.  I promise.”

Abbey leaned her head on the table.  “I understand.  I know they aren’t taking any chances but this is certainly a time I wish that you could come.  I’ll be okay.  I just have to get myself together.  And between me and Vic we’ll keep Ellie together.  Oh, God, how I wish I could hold you right now.”

“Well, I can’t hold you either.  But there is someone who can.  Pray, Abbey.  Pray for strength and pray for Tom.  I won’t believe God will let any harm come to Tom.  No way.”

“I hope you’re right.”  Abbey looked up when there was a knock on the door.  “Wait a second Jed.  Maybe there’s news.”

The door opened and Dr. Walker came in pushing an empty crib.  He was accompanied by an agent.  “Dr. Bartlet, your grandson has been taken from the hospital.  We found his crib a few minutes ago with his security bracelet in it.”

Horrified, Abbey suddenly stood, still holding the phone.  That was her last conscious memory as the stress and lack of sleep finally overcame her and she fell to the ground in a dead faint.

“Abbey?  Abbey?”  Jed heard the commotion as the phone hit the ground but there was no response.

   


	11. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 11

_White House_

_Thursday 8:45 am_

“I’m going.”

“No, you’re not.  Ron doesn’t believe it’s safe for you to leave.”

Jed and Leo were alone in the Oval, having asked Ron to give them some privacy.  Slumped at his desk, his face buried in his hands, it was taking all the strength Jed had not to burst into tears.  “Leo, please listen.  My three hour old grandson has been kidnapped, he may have a serious heart defect, my daughter has just had major surgery, and only God knows why I can’t reach Abbey.  I have to go.  You should have heard her plead with me to get up there.  I have to go.”

“Jed, listen, I understand.”  Leo walked over to the desk and laid his hands on his best friend’s shoulder.  “But that would be foolish until we hear from the kidnappers and know what they want.  Somebody had to have been planning this for some time.  They had to either get employed at the hospital and in that particular job or else the kidnappers were blackmailing this employee so she would do the job.  It wasn’t a secret that Ellie would deliver at John Hopkins.  So someone had to have been planning this for several months.  It could be a conspiracy to flush you out into the open.  And Ron can’t allow that to happen.  The country still needs their President.”

“Hell, Leo, right now I don’t care about the country.  My family needs me.”

“You don’t really mean that, do you?”

Jed looked at his Chief of Staff and then turned slightly to see the American flag that was always by his desk.  “No, not really.  But my family does need me.  My whole world has turned upside down and I can’t be there to console them.  Abbey is there but Ellie needs both parents.  She will need all the support we can give her.  Why the hell can’t I get hold of Abbey?  Call Ron back in here.  Maybe he can tell me.”

Leo walked over to the door to the reception area and motioned for Ron to come back in.  He was just completing a conversation and flipped the phone shut as he walked toward the President of the United States.  Jed looked up and saw his grim face.  

“Just tell me Ron, what’s wrong?”

“Sir...” as Ron look anxiously at the President and then the Chief of Staff.

“Ron, tell us whatever the news is.  Whatever it is.”  Leo’s firm voice belied the fear of what the Chief of Security was going to report.

He turned his head back to the President.  “Sir…”

“DAMMIT RON!!  For the love of God just tell me.”

“Sir, it’s the First Lady.  She’s…”


	12. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 12

_John Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore_

_Thursday 10:30 am_

Jed ran through the halls of the Emergency Department, five agents surrounding the head of the free world.  

It had been over an hour since Ron had informed him of Abbey’s fainting spell in the conference room on the OB Unit.  It had taken a Presidential temper tantrum toward the head of his security and his Chief of Staff to put him on Marine One and on the way back to Baltimore.  Of course, the hospital’s roof had been shut down and snipers had been placed on every adjoining rooftop but Jed was finally able to be with his family.

He noted the armed agent standing outside a private room and assumed that was Abbey’s location.  But he had to ask anyway.  “Is my wife in there?”

“Yes, sir,” as the agent opened the door for the President.

Jed ran his fingers through his disheveled hair, trying to look at least a little more presentable than he felt.  Taking a deep breath, he came around the door, nervous about what shape Abbey was in.  The only word he had gotten was the initial information from Ron of her collapse and her transfer to the Emergency Department.  The remainder of the time had been spent fighting those who only wanted him safe.  But for him, his safety was nothing when his family needed him.

Abbey was lying on her back, dressed in a hospital gown, her pale skin close in color to the white sheets.  Her eyes were shut but he noticed her breathing to be regular.  An IV had been started in her left arm and nasal oxygen had been placed on her face.  The silent heart monitor over the bed was doing its dance.  Jed had no idea if the squiggly lines were normal.  He could only hope so.

He walked over to the stretcher and touched her arm.  The skin was cool and slightly damp to the touch.  Jed leaned over the bed and placed a gentle kiss on his soul mate’s pale lips.

Soon, the green orbs that usually sparkled or shot fire, opened.  But this time they were darker, reflecting the fatigue their owner felt.

“Hi, there.  You really know how to scare a guy.”  He was rewarded with a brief smile.

“Hi.”  Her voice was only a whisper.

“Shh, don’t talk.  I’m here now.  You’ll be okay.”

“I’m sorry, Jed.  I just couldn’t help it.”  Tears formed at the edge of her eyes.  Fatigue was bringing her emotions right to the edge.

“I said to sush.  Don’t talk.”  He placed a finger on her lips only for her to turn her head away.

“The baby?  Any news?”

“No.  No one has made any contact about him.  But you know we have everybody looking for him.”

Abbey nodded weakly.  “Ellie?”

Jed shook his head.  “I don’t know.  I came straight here.”

“Okay.”  Her eyes closed.  

“Good.  That’s what you need.  Just sleep.”

A knock on the door and a tall, blond haired woman entered.  “Mr. President?”  I’m Dr. Thomas.”

After a brief handshake, Dr. Thomas walked to the opposite side of the stretcher.  “Dr. Bartlett fainted.  We ran some tests and found her to be dehydrated, severely fatigued, and suffering from intense stress.  I’m aware of your grandson’s situation and it played a key component in her collapse.  We started some fluids and have just been monitoring her.  I want to admit her for observation and rebuild her strength but she has refused so far.  But I’m asking you now for permission to admit her for twenty-four hours so she can rest and recover.  I understand the circumstances.  I really do, but she needs some time to rest and recover.”

Jed looked at Abbey’s closed eyes and thought about what would be best for her.  Looking back at the doctor, he replied, “I need to talk with her about it.  Can you give us a minute?”

“Certainly.”  The doctor turned and left them alone.

“Jed, no.”  Abbey spoke even though she had no strength to open her eyes.  “No.  I have to be with Ellie.  She’s going to need her mother.”

“Abbey, you’ll be no good to her or anybody else if you can’t even stand up.  Let the hospital watch over you for a little while.  Please.  Do it for me.”

Jed saw the tears begin to flow from the corners of her eyes.  “Abbey, trust me.  You get some strength back and then you’ll be able to handle better whatever is going to happen.  Please, hon.  Trust me.”

She opened her eyes, knowing that the ocean blue eyes of her husband would be focused on her.  “On one condition.”

“Name it.”

“I want to be admitted to the OB floor.  That way I can at least be nearby.”

“Abbey…”

“That’s the only way I’ll let them admit me.”

Jed knew it was useless to argue.  If he got what he wanted, then Abbey deserved her only request to be honored.  “Okay.  I’ll let Dr. Thomas know.  Now, close those pretty eyes and get some rest.”

This time Abbey readily followed Jed’s orders.  It only took a few seconds before she was sleeping peacefully.

He stepped back from the bed and watched her for a few minutes.  “I love you Abbey.  And I promise we’ll get Tom back.”  

With those words, he left the room. 

Soon he would be talking with Ellie.  ‘God help me to know the words I’m going to speak.’


	13. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 13

_Thursday 12 noon_

Jed watched as Abbey got settled in her room, gave her a brief kiss and watched as she fell asleep again.  Turning, he walked down the hall to Ellie’s room and quietly knocked on the door.

Vic opened the door.  “She’s still asleep.  Why did you come?  Haven’t you caused enough trouble?”

Jed was surprised at the intense anger from his son-in-law.  “Let me tell you something…”

“Dad, is that you?  Come on in.  Vic let him in.”

Both men, surprised at Ellie being awake, quickly turned and entered the room.  Vic sat down by the side of the bed while Jed stood at the foot of the bed.

“Feeling better?”

“Yes.  Thanks Dad.  It’s been a rough night.  Have you seen Tom?  I only got a brief glimpse of him in the operating room but Vic told me he had your eyes.”

Jed’s voice caught in his throat.  As he quickly glanced at Vic, who shook his head, he swallowed hard and answered, “Yeah.  I saw him a couple of hours ago.  He’s the most gorgeous baby I’ve ever seen.  Well, almost.  You and your sisters come first but he’s still a cutie.”

Jed watched as Ellie broke into a big grin.  “Thanks Dad.  Vic, can you call the nursery and ask them to bring Tom down?  I really feel good now and I want to meet my son.”

Neither man moved, frozen to their respective spot.  Finally, Vic answered.  “Sir, can I see you in the hall?”

“Sure.”

The two men had just closed the door into the hall when they heard Ellie scream inside.  Pushing the door open, they saw her sitting up in bed screaming.  “Tom!  He’s missing.  He’s been kidnapped.  Why didn’t you tell me?”

Vic quickly moved to his wife’s side, embracing her and trying to console her, wondering how she had found out so fast.  With horror, he glanced up at the television, which he had on at a soft volume while she had been sleeping.  On the screen was their wedding picture with the headline ‘President’s Grandson Kidnapped from John Hopkins Hospital.’

Crushing sobs continued to come from Ellie.  “My son.  My son.  My baby.”

Vic was trying to console her but both men could tell that it wasn’t going to happen. With his heart breaking, Jed left the room and went to the nurse’s station.  The clerk looked up at the famous visitor, quickly stood, and smiled.  “Yes, sir, how can I help you?”

“My daughter is in room 234 and…”

“Yes, Mr. President.  How I can help her?”

“As I was saying, my daughter is in room 234 and she needs something to calm her down.  She’s just been told about her missing son.”

“Yes, sir.  I’ll tell the nurse right away.”

“Thank you.”

Jed went back to Ellie’s room to note that her sobbing had not yet stopped.  Vic had gotten into bed with her, trying to embrace her, to comfort her, but the sobs were continuing.

“Ellie, sweetheart…”

The sobbing continued.

Soon, the door opened and two people entered the room.  One was quite obvious a nurse carrying a syringe.  The other one, a tall man in a white lab coat covering a pair of blood splattered scrubs, was apparently Ellie’s physician.

He went over to the bed and tried to get her attention but her sobs and screams of anguish prevented any calming words he was trying to say. 

“Ellie, calm down.  We’re going to find him.”

Ellie looked up at him still sobbing, tears cascading down her face,.  “He’s gone.  He’s gone.”  She went back to rocking back and forth with Vic still trying to calm her down.  “My son.  My baby.”

He motioned the nurse over and took the syringe from her.  Injecting the medication into Ellie’s arm, he backed away and let the medicine do the calming that words could not do.

Soon, Ellie’s sobs quieted and Vic laid her back in bed.  She was asleep once more.  Hopefully asleep without dreams.

Eventually Vic released her and sat down in the bedside chair, his own bent head placed squarely between his hands.  

Jed turned and left.  There was nothing for him to do.  He went back to Abbey’s room and sat down by his sleeping wife.  His own exhaustion soon kicked in and he too dropped off to sleep.

Four people in torment.  

Four people worried about one baby.  

And four people praying to God for his safe return.

      


	14. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 14

_White House_

_Thursday 3 pm_

“CJ!  CJ! Any news about the President’s grandson?”

“CJ!  How is Mrs. Bartlet?”

“CJ!  How is the President feeling?”

“Okay guys, calm down.”  CJ cleared her throat and began the afternoon briefing.

“I’ll read a prepared statement which Carol has copies for you.  There will be no other statement from the White House at this time.”

There was a pause while CJ gathered her thoughts.  

“Okay, here goes. ‘President and Mrs. Bartlet thank the citizens of this country and people from all over the world for their prayers and kind thoughts at this time.  The FBI and the Secret Service are working jointly and diligently pursuing any and all leads as to the location of their now twelve hour old grandson, the child of their middle daughter Ellie and her husband Vic.  As can be expected, the family is very worried and wishes only the safe return of the infant.  Mrs. Bartlet suffered a fainting spell earlier this morning due to the intense stress of the situation and is currently being observed at John Hopkins for any possible relapse.  The President is at the hospital and continues to console his family.  The other two daughters have arrived at the hospital as well as the Faisons, to support each other.  The President has requested prayers for the safe return of their grandchild and the healing of Mrs. Bartlet, his daughter and son-in-law.  Any further comments about the case will come directly from the FBI and Secret Service Joint Task force.’  Thank you.”

CJ turned to leave, but continued to get peppered with questions.  

“CJ, has there been a ransom request?”

“No.”

“Is there a reward being offered?”

“I don’t know.”

“Have they found the woman who took the baby from the nursery?”

“Not that I’m aware of.  Now come on guys, I said no more questions and I meant it.  Good-bye.”

CJ then left the room and headed for her office.  On the way, she changed her direction as she decided to drop by Leo’s office and see if there was any additional news.  Upon her arrival, she noted that Josh and Toby were already there, both sitting in the two chairs facing Leo’s desk.  All three men had grim looks on their faces.  Looks that told CJ that something significant had occurred.

“What is it, guys?  What’s happened?  Have they found…”

“No.”  Leo’s single, sharp word had more than just a negative answer behind it.

“Leo, what is it?  What’s happened?”

“Ron just called.  They found the woman who took the baby from the nursery.”

“Isn’t that good news?  I mean, does she have the baby?  Is he okay?”

“CJ…” Josh looked up at the tall Press Secretary.  “They found her dead.  Murdered.  Several knife wounds to the chest.  Her body was in a Baltimore park, hidden in some woods.  A jogger spotted the body.”

“Oh God no!  No!” CJ sat down hard on Leo’s sofa.  “Does the President know?”

Leo nodded.  “He’s being told right now.  We have no further clues as to where the baby might have been taken.  There’s still no ransom note so we can’t even begin to search.  Hell, he could have been taken out of the country by now.  We just don’t have any information as to why he was taken.”  

“CJ, we need to sit on this information right now.  No leaks to the press.  Nothing.  We’re going to play deaf until we hear otherwise.”  Toby joined in the conversation, his first thought always how it would play in the press.

“Toby, do you think that’s the best course?  I mean the press will find out about this real soon.”

Leo answered before Toby could.  “We do what we are told to do, CJ.  And right now we’re being told to keep quiet.  Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

Silence enveloped the room as each one became lost in their own thoughts.  And each wondered how this news would affect a family they held in high esteem.  And grieved every minute that they did.  All because one little infant had been born into the most famous family in America.  


	15. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 15

_John Hopkins_

_Thursday 3:15 pm_

“No, Ron.  I’ll tell them myself.  And there are absolutely no clues?  You’ve checked her house?  Oh, of course.  I know you would check the house earlier.  Thanks again.  Call me the minute you get any news.”

Jed shut off his cell phone to see Abbey looking at him.  “Jed, what’s happened?”

Jed stood from the chair he had been sitting in and walked over to his wife’s bed and sat down.  Her color was a little pinker and her skin temperature much warmer than it had been a few hours ago.

“Abbey, some bad news.  That was Ron…”

Abbey’s breath caught as she feared the worse.  “The baby…the baby is…”

“No.  Thank God.  No news on the baby.  But they did find the woman who took him last night.  She was murdered, Abbey.  They found her dead in a local Baltimore park.  There were no signs of a struggle.  She looked like she had been dead only a couple of hours but they aren’t sure exactly when it happened.”

“Oh, Jed.  What are we going to do?  Are you going to tell Ellie this?”

“She deserves to know everything Abbey.  Everything.  This woman was our only lead as to where and why Tom was kidnapped.”

Abbey grabbed his hands and squeezed them tight.  “She won’t take it very well.  Neither will Vic.”

“But they have to know.”

“I know.  Well, let’s go.  Do I have a robe or anything?”

“Yeah.  I had some things brought up for you.”

Jed got off the bed and walked over to the closet and pulled out Abbey’s fuzzy orange robe and pink slippers.  

Abbey cringed at the color combination.  “Couldn’t they get the ones that matched?”

“Hey, you have something to wear so be happy.”

“I know.  I was just teasing with you.”  Abbey threw back the covers and swung her legs over the side of the bed.  

“Hey, wait a minute.  I need to help you.”

“I’m not an invalid.  I just fainted.  I let myself get dehydrated and I fainted.  Okay?  I’ve had some fluids and some sleep and I’ll be fine.”

“Okay, hot shot.  Try it on your own.”  He helped her pull the robe over her good arm and wrapped the robe on her shoulder of the arm that had the IV.  Once that was done, he stepped back.  “Okay.  Try it.”

Abbey put her weight on her legs and immediately they gave way.  If Jed had not caught her, she would have been on the floor.  Assisting her to a chair, he laughed.  “I told you so.”

Abbey smiled in return.  “I just hate it when you say that.”

“I’ll be right back.  I’ll get you a wheel chair and then I’ll be happy.”

“Okay.” Abbey resigned herself to the fact that she hadn’t quite returned to total independence.  Not quite yet anyway.

The door was pushed open by her favorite wheel chair pusher and a tall, blond haired woman.  She looked familiar but Abbey couldn’t quite place her.

“Mrs. Bartlet, I’m glad to see you out of bed.  How do you feel?”

Now Abbey recognized her as Dr. Thomas, the physician from the Emergency Room.

“Better.  Stronger.”  Abbey paused as Jed cleared his throat.  “Well, maybe not totally stronger but I do feel better.”

“Good.  You gave us all quite a scare.”

“I’ll second that,” replied the wheelchair pusher.

“I want to leave the IV in until I see that you’re keeping down some solid food.  I don’t want you to relapse.”

“Well, as we all know it’s a bother but if I have to, I will.”

“You have to,” replied the wheelchair pusher.

“Jed!” she replied in a light tone.  “I am a doctor after all.”

“Yeah.  But you don’t follow your own instructions.”

“Touche.”

“Anyway,” Dr. Thomas replied in an attempt to regain control.  “I’ll check back on you later.  Goodbye. ”

“Bye.  And thanks.”

“You’re very welcome.”

As the physician left, Jed assisted Abbey into the wheelchair.  “You ready for this?”

“As ready as I can be.  Let’s go.”

Jed turned the wheelchair.  “Yeah, let’s go.”


	16. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 16

Jed pushed the wheel chair and IV pole out the door of Abbey’s room, running into Liz and Zoey who had just come from Ellie’s room.

“Mom!”  Zoey ran the short distance to hug her mother.  Abbey eagerly accepted the love coming from her youngest.

“Hi, sweetie.”  She saw Liz walking up behind Zoey and smiled.  “Hi to you too.”

“How are you Mom?  We came in earlier but both you and Dad were sound asleep so we didn’t wake you.”  Liz had a concerned look on her face.

“I’m truly fine.  Your father insisted on this wheelchair.  You know, the other ‘doctor’ in the family.”  All four of them laughed.  In a more serious tone, Abbey asked about their sister.  “How’s Ellie doing?”

Zoey answered first.  “She’s kind of got that ‘deer in the headlights’ look.  She answers everything with yeah or no.  Doesn’t really talk much.  Vic’s parents are in there now.  They just got here an hour or so ago so we left to give them some private time.”

Abbey shook her head.  “That sounds about normal for what she’s going through.”

“Any word on Tom?”

“No.  Not on the baby himself but there is news,” Jed replied.  “We were just heading toward the room to share it.”

“Dad, good news or bad news?”  Liz had been totally upset since Zoey called her and the Service had arranged transportation on the earliest commercial flight possible out of Boston.

“I guess you would classify it as bad news.  Come on.  I’ll tell everyone at once.”

The group headed toward the room that had become the center of the Universe since Tom had been kidnapped.  It was only around the corner from Abbey’s but it could have been in Timbuktu for the distance between it and the ongoing functions of the Labor and Delivery Unit.

Knocking gently on the door, the group waited until they heard a faint ‘Come in’.  Zoey held the door open for her father to push her mother through.

Immediately, Ellie realized who it was and reached out her arms for her mother.  

“Mom,” as fresh tears poured down Ellie’s face.

Abbey waited until Jed had locked the wheelchair and then stood as best she could and hung onto the IV pole.  Pushing it, she slowly made her way to the bed.  Sitting down on the edge she was immediately enveloped in her daughter’s tight embrace.

“Mom, Tom’s gone.  He’s gone.  I can’t hold him.  I can’t touch him.  I can’t love him.”

Jed motioned for the group to leave and give them some privacy.  When Vic hesitated, Jed motioned again.  Reluctantly, Vic left the two women to have their discussion in private.

“Shh, Ellie.  He’ll be fine.  I just know it.  How could anyone want to harm a day old baby?  That’s just unthinkable.”

Ellie’s sobs were her answer.  Abbey brushed her hand across her daughter’s forehead in an attempt to calm her down.

“You know the Service and the FBI are moving heaven and earth to find him.  And they will.  We have to have hope that he’ll be returned to you and Vic safe and sound.”

“What if he isn’t?  What if…”

“Shh.  He’ll be safe.  We have to have hope.”

Abbey just let Ellie cry until she couldn’t cry anymore.  

“It’ll be okay.  I promise you.”

Ellie raised her head off her mother’s shoulder and looked into her mother’s eyes.  A pair of eyes that had never lied to her through the years.  And she believed even today that her mother would tell her the truth.  It was something she had to hang onto.  It was the only thing she could hang onto right now.

“I want to believe you.  I want to believe that Tom will be returned safe and sound.”

Wiping a stray tear off Ellie’s face, Abbey gave her daughter a smile.  “You have to hang onto that hope.  Even if there’s bad news, you have to hang onto your faith.  That’s the only thing we have sometimes to fortify ourselves for the battle ahead.”

Ellie nodded her head.  “Okay.  I’ll do that.”

It was then that Ellie finally notice her mother’s clothes.  “Why the robe and slippers?  The IV?  Mom, what’s going on?”

Abbey grinned slyly.  “Well, in my worry about you and Tom I didn’t take care of myself and fainted in one of the conference rooms.  The doctor in the emergency room admitted me for fluids and observation.  In fact, I’m just a few doors down from you.”

“Why didn’t someone tell me?”

“Well hon, you had enough on your mind.  I’m stronger now and feel much better. I’ll be fine.  A couple more hours with this damn IV and then I can leave.  But I’m not leaving you until you throw me out.”

Ellie smiled slightly.  She knew just how much determination her mother had and it was obvious that she had made that decision without talking to her father.  ‘Oh well,’ she thought.  ‘It’ll make for some fireworks when she told him.  He had a mind of his own as well.’

They just held each other’s hands until they heard raised voices outside the door.  

Abbey stood unsteadily but eventually made her way to the door.  Pulling the door open, the voices got louder.  

“Jed!  Vic!  This is a hospital.  Lower your voices!”

Surprised at who was doing the interrupting, both men looked at the woman in charge and simultaneously said, “Yes, ma’am.”


	17. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 17

“Girls, go back into the room and keep your sister company.  Mr. and Mrs. Faison, if you would please excuse us.  I think I need to have a conversation with these two guys.”  The ones identified gratefully left and closed the door behind them.

Abbey turned first to her husband.  “Let’s find someplace to sit down.  I’m not as strong as I need to be to carry on a conversation of any length.”

“You think it will be long?”

“Jed…” in the most warning voice she could muster.  “And you too, Vic.  You’re coming with us and we’ll going to settle whatever is wrong between you two.”

“But I need to get back to Ellie.”

“Ellie’s fine.  She’s got plenty of help inside.  Now come on.”

Jed took Abbey’s arm and supported her as they walked down the hall to a conference room, in fact the same conference room she had fainted in.

“Now, sit down.”  Abbey pointed to two chairs at opposite ends of the table as she sat down in one of the middle ones.

“Abbey you’re treating us like little children,” Jed whined.

“If you’re going to act like children, then I’ll treat you like one.  Now SIT down.”

“Yes, dear.”

Abbey paused for a moment, trying to get a sense of what was going on.  But only the two men knew why there was such bad blood between them.

“Okay, who wants to go first?  Jed?  Vic?”

Another period of silence followed.  “We can stay here all day if you want too.  But we will settle this.”  She looked at each man.

“Okay, I’ll go first.”  

Abbey sighed.  “Okay Vic, why are you so upset at my husband?”

“If it wasn’t for him being President, Tom would be here with his mother and me.  I’ve been intimidated with you from day one.  Do you know how hard it is to love the daughter of the President of the United States?  Do you know about the constant reporters sniffing around for anything that they could embarrass you with?  I love Ellie and I thought by living here in Baltimore we would be safe from the prying eyes and the snippy articles.  But that hasn’t that occurred.  And now your position has endangered our most precious asset, my son.  You have turned my wife’s life upside down.  How does that feel?”  Vic sat back in his chair and crossed his arms, waiting for an answer.

Jed looked at Abbey, who just looked back expressionless.

He turned his attention back to Vic.  “I am President of the United States.  And that’s not going to change.  So you had better get used to it.”

“Jed…” 

He looked at Abbey, seeing the warning signs in her eyes.

“Vic, listen.  I thought by being President and having security all around me I could protect my daughter and her family.  Apparently it wasn’t enough.  I’m as torn apart as you are over this incident.  My heart is breaking as well.  When a child of my child is hurt I hurt just like it was my own child.  I know you have made Ellie happy.  And I’m so glad she found someone to love.  I really am.  But it doesn’t change what I do.  And the problems that come with it.  Believe me, if I could have prevented all of this from occurring, I would have.  I have given orders to every law enforcement group in the country to do whatever is necessary to find Tom and bring him back alive.  That’s the power of the Presidency.  Yeah, good and bad things sometimes happen but this could happen to any family and it has.  What WE have to do is pull together and support Ellie.  Abbey and I are here and willing to do it but she needs all of us to work as group.  To be constantly fighting is only going to cause her more grief.”

“I know that.”

“Then let’s make a truce on the fighting.  If you want to take me out afterwards and beat me to a pulp, I’ll give orders to my body guards to allow you do it.  But right now, we have to have a common front for Ellie.  She has enough to worry about right now without having to listen to the two of us.  Agreed?” 

Vic looked at the determination in his father-in-law’s face.  He knew Jed was right.  Right now they had to bury their mutual animosity toward each other.  Right now they had to join together and provide support for Ellie.  Both men loved her, but in different ways.  

“Fine.  I’ll schedule the beating for afterwards, if that’s okay with you?

Jed laughed.  “I told you that’s fine.”

Abbey let out her breath that she didn’t know she was holding.  “Okay.  Are we ready to go back to Ellie’s room?”

Both men looked at each other and nodded.  “For Ellie.”  “For Ellie.”

“Fine.  Now Jed, help me up and take me back to bed, would you?  I’m exhausted and maybe a nap will work wonders.” She stood with Jed’s help as Vic left the room.  “Do you know how much I love you?”

“I think I do.”

Abbey smiled.  “Come closer and let me show you.”  With that, Jed was the recipient of a long and passionate kiss.

“That’s all I have the energy for right now.  I still have that rain check, don’t I?”

“Absolutely.  Now let’s get you back to bed.”

“That sounds good.”


	18. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 18

_White House_

_Thursday 8 pm_

“Ron, any news?”  Leo was in his office, trying to find out the latest information.

“Not yet, Mr. McGarry.”

“Surely this little baby has not dropped off the face of the earth.  He has to be somewhere.”

“Yes, sir.  We are chasing a few leads but so far none of them have panned out.  We have every available law enforcement officer in the United States and some around the world on the lookout.”

“Well, it’s eight o’clock and the President and First Lady will be here at any moment.  I finally persuaded him to come back and take care of some business.  But he didn’t want to leave Abbey up there so she’s coming back to rest and then go back in the morning.  I really hoped that there would be news.  A picture, a lead, a ransom.  Surely they want something.  I mean, they go to the trouble of setting up this kidnapping and then kill the woman who did the dirty work for them.  So they gotta want something.”

“Yes, sir.  I believe you’re right.”

A soft knock on Leo’s door distracted the two men.  “Yes?”

Another agent stuck his head in the door.  “Agent Butterfield, can I see you a moment?

“Excuse me Mr. McGarry.  I’ll be right back.”

“Sure, Ron.”

As Ron stepped out, Leo heard noise coming from the Oval Office. He walked through the two connecting doors to find Jed and Abbey standing around the desk, talking about something.

“Oh hi, Leo.  We’re back.”

“Yes, sir.  I can see that.”

“I’ll ignore the enthusiasm in your voice.”

“Yes, Sir.  Abbey, how do you feel?”

“Tired.  It probably was a good thing to come back for tonight.  My own bed will feel great.  Which reminds me, I need to head up there.  Come when you can, Jed.”  She walked over to him and gave him a kiss.  “I love you.”

“I love you too.  I’ll try not to be too long.”

As Abbey made her way to the Portico door, Ron stepped back in. 

“Ma’am, you might want to hear this.” Abbey stopped and returned to stand by Jed as she slipped her fingers in his.

“Is it about the baby?”

“Yes, sir.  It is.”

“Tell us Ron.  Don’t hold anything back.”

“We’ve had a message from the kidnappers.”

“How did you get it?”

“It came by special delivery but we haven’t had any luck trying to trace its origin.”

“What does it say?”

“It gives us a ransom.”

“Well, how much money do they want?”

“It’s not money, sir.”

“Then tell me what they want.”

Ron looked at the faces of the three people in the room before answering.

“Sir, they want you.”


	19. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 19

“Me?”

“Yes, sir.  That’s what the note says.  Here, read it for yourself.”  Ron passed the plastic covered sheet to the President.

Jed reached for his glasses in his pocket, his hand shaking with worry over what the ransom note would say.

“Okay.”  

****

_‘Mr. President,_

_We have your precious grandson and will continue to hold him until we have you in exchange for him.  We think it’s a fair exchange.  Your life for his.  We know the United States does not negotiate with terrorists, as you are of so fond of saying.  But we think you will reconsider this.  A so-called innocent baby compared with an old man.  You decide.  You have until 6 am Friday to make a decision.  So far the baby is in good health but we can easily remedy that situation.  The transfer will take place in western Maryland.  You will have to come alone or both you and the baby will be considered expendable.  If you want to cause the death of many of your bodyguards, invite them to the party._

_I know you have many more questions but for right now this is all.  Make the correct decision and your family will be able to raise your grandson to maturity.  Make the wrong decision and your family will be grieving.  Your choice._

_Free America Now’_

************

“Who the hell is ‘Free America Now’?”  Jed looked at Ron, trying to maintain a semblance of calmness.  He felt Abbey shaking next to him.  Shaking with fear, with anger, with weakness he didn’t know.

Ron bent his head, sighed and then looked back at the President.  “We don’t know.  We have no record of any group by that name making any threats to you.  The FBI is trying to locate some of their informants in the various terrorist groups to see if they have any information.”

“Jed, are you going to this?”  Abbey tried to suppress the tears that were forming.  She knew that they had asked for the one thing that the country could not, would not give up.  No matter whose child had been kidnapped.

“Abbey, I don’t know.  Here, why don’t we sit down and talk?  I don’t like the way you look.”  Gratefully, she let Jed steer her toward the sofa where she collapsed into a heap.

“No sir, there’s no way you’re going to do this.  It can’t even be considered.”  Ron was still standing.  He didn’t know whether the President would fight him on this or not.  But there was no way he was going to allow him to do something this absolutely stupid.

“But Ron..,”

“Sir, can I speak frankly?”

“Of course.”

“Sir, these people want to harm, to possibly kill you, for what reason we have no idea.  The area the note talks about is rugged and desolate and we couldn’t keep you in clear view at all times.  This group will send another notice in the morning.  Give us this time to try and formulate a location and a rescue plan.  I cannot allow you to be in such obvious danger.  You’re too valuable to send out on such a ridiculous mission.”

Jed laughed.  “You did indeed speak frankly.  And I appreciate it.  But I, and only I, will make up my mind.  I’m the one they kidnapped the baby for.  I am the reason my daughter has to be kept sedated.  I’m the one responsible for this whole mess.  I’m replaceable.  Tom is not.”

Abbey responded quickly, pleading for her husband to listen.  “Jed, listen to what Ron is saying.  There has to be other measures that can be taken that would not require you jeopardizing your safety.  There just has to be another way.”

“Sir?”

“Yes, Leo?”

“As Chief of Staff, I cannot let you take this risk.  You are the President and your safety can never be jeopardized.  Never.”

“Leo, didn’t we have a similar conversation yesterday?”

“Yes, sir.”

“And yet I’m sitting here in front of you right now.  No less harmed than when we talked.  Correct?”

“Yes.”

“I have no death wish.  I will get out of the situation somehow.  But after Tom has been returned to his mother.  Not a moment before.  I’m confident of the skill of the Secret Service and the FBI to track me wherever they take me.  I can withstand a hell of lot more than a two-day old infant.  I’m going.  I’ve made up my mind and you can’t stop me.”  Jed stood, ready for a fight, but none was forthcoming.  

One specific person in the room was already silently developing an alternate plan to prevent the President from risking his own life in the morning.  One specific person was thinking about how best to keep Jed from going and they would be his substitute.

“Good.  Hearing no objection, Abbey and I are going to the Residence for some well-deserved sleep.  I’ll see each of you in the morning at 5:30 when we’ll await the kidnapper’s final instructions.  Good night.”

“Good night Mr. President.”

“Good night Mr. President.”

Jed and Abbey walked to the portico door and opened it.  Looking back one last time, Jed knew it was probably the last time he was going to see the Oval Office.  The place he had called home for almost eight years.  Tomorrow would bring an unknown situation.  But he was determined to bring back Tom to Ellie, even if it cost his own life.  Such a small price to pay for her happiness.  And his promise.

    


	20. I Would Do Anything for You

They walked slowly back to the Residence, the argument that they both knew was coming, hanging between them.

As Jed closed the bedroom door, he turned to see Abbey sitting on the bed and her expression telegraphing just how angry she was.

Raising his hands to deflect the heat, he spoke before she could. “I’m going. And you know that my mind is made up. There’s nothing you can say to change my mind.”

“Jed, think about this. You are not expendable. You don’t know what will happen. You could be killed. At the very least you could be severely injured.” 

“This is not up for discussion. I’ll resign the Presidency if I have to. But my daughter is in pain and I can relieve it by getting her son back. I’m not worried about my safety. This is much more important than my responsibilities to the country.”

“Jed, please listen to me. Please.” Tears were running down her face as she pleaded with her husband to be reasonable.

“NO! This discussion is closed!” Jed turned sharply and went into the bathroom. Abbey stayed on the bed for a minute before getting up. She walked quickly to her closet where she rummaged in her black bag for a minute and then walked over to the bar where she poured Jed a drink. 

“Jed, come on out. I’m sorry.”

Shortly Jed reappeared, having changed into his favorite sweats.

“What did you say?”

“I said, I’m sorry. You’re right. Here, I fixed you a drink. We both are just exhausted and just need to sleep.”

Jed smiled. For once, he had actually won an argument. Taking the glass, he leaned over and gave her a soft kiss on her lips. “I knew you would eventually see my side. Thanks.”

She followed him as he sat on the sofa and picked up one of his omnipresent briefing books. 

Jed smiled. “Abbey, there is just no other way.” 

“Jed, I understand. Let’s quit talking about this and get some sleep. We’ll have a busy day tomorrow.”

She sat and watched while he drank the Scotch. And watched as his yawns became wider and more frequent. And watched as his eyes began to close. 

“Wow, I’m more tired than I thought.” He got up and found his way to the bed before collapsing on the bed. 

“I’ll be right back, Hon. I left something in my office that I need to read,” as she pulled the covers over him and gave him a quick kiss.

“Okayyy……..” Quickly, the only sounds coming from the room were the regular snoring of the President of the United States.


	21. I Would Do Anything for You

Friday 4 AM

 

Abbey quickly slipped on a pair of blue jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and a pair of hiking boots. She grabbed a flannel jacket from the closet and took one last look at her sleeping husband. She shook her head. He would be really angry at her when he finally woke up and realize she had tricked him. Last night she had slipped a sleeping pill into his nightly nightcap and watched as exhaustion, along with the pill, put him out cold. 

Abbey had barely slept and was up by three thirty. She knew Leo and Ron would be waiting for her at the car. This had all been arranged last night. After a long discussion and some angry words, she had made it perfectly clear to both men that she was going, with or without them. So reluctantly, both men agreed to the plan.

There was no way she could jeopardize Jed’s life by allowing him to do this so she would offer herself as the bait. She desperately hoped that the kidnappers would accept her in Jed’s place. She was confident that once Tom was in safe hands, the Service and the FBI would be right behind her kidnappers. And she would be rescued shortly after that. But if not, then she was ready for anything. She had promised Ellie that Tom would be brought back to her safe and sound and she knew that this was the only way that her promise would be kept.

Pulling her jacket around her, she got in the Suburban with Leo beside her and Ron driving. They would be almost to the mountain site by the time the next note arrived and Jed would remain unaware of everything until at least seven or eight.

“Thanks Leo,” as she accepted the steaming cup of hot coffee.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely. I made a promise to Ellie about Tom being safe and this is the only way I know I can assure that it will happen. Let’s go.”

Ron drove the car out of the White House gates and began their journey.

Passing close to Camp David Abbey remembered with a smile all the good times the family had had there. She only hoped if things didn’t turn out well that that was what they would remember of her.

During the drive, Abbey thought about Jed’s reaction. It wouldn’t be pretty. In fact, he would be pretty pissed. But in the end, it meant that Tom was safe and back in his parents’ arms. That was the only thing that mattered at this moment.

“Abbey, I wish you wouldn’t do this. We will eventually find Tom and this group.”

“Leo, Tom needs to be in the hospital and with his mother. The doctors need to check him out for a possible heart defect. This is something that just can’t take time. It’s something that has to be taken care immediately.”

“But Jed…”

“Yeah, I know. Leo, promise me one thing.”

“Sure.”

“If I don’t come back, please tell Jed how much I loved him. And I did this for both of us.” Her heart was heavy speaking these words but they were words that needed to be said. Just in case she didn’t return.

Leo reached across the seat and squeezed her hand. “Sure. I promise.”

The rest of the drive was in quiet. About six fifteen, Ron finally spoke. “We have the coordinates and we’re moving in. We’re about ten minutes away and have undercover FBI swat teams getting in place. We will protect you as much as possible, Mrs. Bartlet. But if you are captured, do not resist. We will be following you at all times and will maintain contact with your location beacon at all times. You still have it, don’t you?’

“Yeah.” Abbey reached up and touched her stud earrings. The right earring was in reality a location beacon tuned so the swat team could pick her up at all times. She wasn’t going to be completely by herself.

“Good. No matter where you are, as long as you have them, we’ll know exactly where you are.” 

“Ron, I’m not important. The important thing is to get Tom back safely and to Hopkins as soon as possible.”

“Yes, ma’am. We have a helicopter and a pediatrician on standby. Once we get him, he’ll be in good hands.”

“Great. I can always depend on you, can’t I?”

“I hope so, ma’am. I truly hope so.”


	22. I Would Do Anything for You

Friday 4 AM

 

Abbey quickly slipped on a pair of blue jeans, a long sleeve shirt, and a pair of hiking boots. She grabbed a flannel jacket from the closet and took one last look at her sleeping husband. She shook her head. He would be really angry at her when he finally woke up and realize she had tricked him. Last night she had slipped a sleeping pill into his nightly nightcap and watched as exhaustion, along with the pill, put him out cold. 

Abbey had barely slept and was up by three thirty. She knew Leo and Ron would be waiting for her at the car. This had all been arranged last night. After a long discussion and some angry words, she had made it perfectly clear to both men that she was going, with or without them. So reluctantly, both men agreed to the plan.

There was no way she could jeopardize Jed’s life by allowing him to do this so she would offer herself as the bait. She desperately hoped that the kidnappers would accept her in Jed’s place. She was confident that once Tom was in safe hands, the Service and the FBI would be right behind her kidnappers. And she would be rescued shortly after that. But if not, then she was ready for anything. She had promised Ellie that Tom would be brought back to her safe and sound and she knew that this was the only way that her promise would be kept.

Pulling her jacket around her, she got in the Suburban with Leo beside her and Ron driving. They would be almost to the mountain site by the time the next note arrived and Jed would remain unaware of everything until at least seven or eight.

“Thanks Leo,” as she accepted the steaming cup of hot coffee.

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

“Absolutely. I made a promise to Ellie about Tom being safe and this is the only way I know I can assure that it will happen. Let’s go.”

Ron drove the car out of the White House gates and began their journey.

Passing close to Camp David Abbey remembered with a smile all the good times the family had had there. She only hoped if things didn’t turn out well that that was what they would remember of her.

During the drive, Abbey thought about Jed’s reaction. It wouldn’t be pretty. In fact, he would be pretty pissed. But in the end, it meant that Tom was safe and back in his parents’ arms. That was the only thing that mattered at this moment.

“Abbey, I wish you wouldn’t do this. We will eventually find Tom and this group.”

“Leo, Tom needs to be in the hospital and with his mother. The doctors need to check him out for a possible heart defect. This is something that just can’t take time. It’s something that has to be taken care immediately.”

“But Jed…”

“Yeah, I know. Leo, promise me one thing.”

“Sure.”

“If I don’t come back, please tell Jed how much I loved him. And I did this for both of us.” Her heart was heavy speaking these words but they were words that needed to be said. Just in case she didn’t return.

Leo reached across the seat and squeezed her hand. “Sure. I promise.”

The rest of the drive was in quiet. About six fifteen, Ron finally spoke. “We have the coordinates and we’re moving in. We’re about ten minutes away and have undercover FBI swat teams getting in place. We will protect you as much as possible, Mrs. Bartlet. But if you are captured, do not resist. We will be following you at all times and will maintain contact with your location beacon at all times. You still have it, don’t you?’

“Yeah.” Abbey reached up and touched her stud earrings. The right earring was in reality a location beacon tuned so the swat team could pick her up at all times. She wasn’t going to be completely by herself.

“Good. No matter where you are, as long as you have them, we’ll know exactly where you are.” 

“Ron, I’m not important. The important thing is to get Tom back safely and to Hopkins as soon as possible.”

“Yes, ma’am. We have a helicopter and a pediatrician on standby. Once we get him, he’ll be in good hands.”

“Great. I can always depend on you, can’t I?”

“I hope so, ma’am. I truly hope so.”


	23. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 23

The walkie-talkie screamed with chatter, most of it unintelligible.

Ron yelled, “Who gave that order?”  I thought we were going to let her go.”

“Who fired?”

“Where did the order come from?”

“Someone get to the car.”

“Does anybody have the baby?”

Further down the road at the staging point Leo shuddered.  Something had gone terribly wrong.  There was supposed to be no firing.  No gunshots.  That was the promise when he had agreed to this scheme.

He continued to listen to the walkie-talkie but no sounds came from it.  It was like Ron had turned the damn thing off.  ‘Oh hell.  How am I going to tell Jed that Abbey has died?  How the hell do you break that kind of news?’

Leo saw the other agents scramble into their vehicles and frantically drive toward the rendezvous spot.  He jumped into one of them and held on.  The short ride seemed miles long but shortly they arrived at the spot where the kidnapper’s vehicle was blazing in the morning's bright light.  Quickly opening the door, Leo ran toward the car.  

“Mr. McGarry, NO!  Stay away!”

Leo turned to see Ron running toward him.

“Abbey!  Abbey’s in the car.  We have to get her out.”

“She’s out.  That’s her over by the Suburban.”  Leo turned quickly and saw the person Ron was pointing toward.

After a short run, Leo bent down to the body laid out on the grass.  Two emergency medical technicians were crouched over it, working feverishly to determine the nature of the injuries.

As he recognized the First Lady, he bent down and grabbed a hand.  “Abbey!  How bad are you hurt?”

She turned her head toward the voice and gave a weak smile.  “I don’t think too bad.  My shoulder hurts and I think I have some burns but otherwise I seem to be okay.  Have they gotten Tom?”

“Oh hell.  I don’t know.  Let me check it out.  Wait here.”

Abbey responded quietly.  “I’m not going anywhere.”

“Yeah.  Right.  Be right back.”

Leo ran towards the tall and very distinctive Chief of Security.  “What about the baby?  Did you get him?”

Ron nodded.  “Yeah.  He’s over by the ambulance.  We captured the guy holding him and took the baby carrier from him.  The baby seems okay but I’ll defer to the doctor’s opinion.”

Leo looked toward the ambulance which he had not noted before.  A man in a white coat was bending over the baby carrier, doing something to the infant in the carrier.

He walked quickly to the ambulance and bent down next to the physician.  “How is he?”

The doctor looked up and smiled.  “A little dirty but otherwise seems to be okay.  We still need to get him back to Baltimore as soon as possible.”

“Great.  I’ll go tell Mrs. Bartlet.”

Leo stood up again and walked quickly back to where the paramedics were still working on the First Lady.  This time he noticed the IV and the oxygen and the blood stained dressing on her left shoulder.

Bending down again, he smiled at Abbey.  “Tom’s fine.  The pediatrician is with him.  Seems to be okay.”

Tears fell from the corners of her eyes as she silently mouthed “Thank God”.

“Abbey, these guys will take good care of you.  You’ll be fine.”

As her eyes shut, the trauma from the knife wound sapping her last ounce of reserve, Abbey whispered, “Tell Jed I love him.”  Leo quickly glanced at her chest and thankfully noticed she was still breathing.  At least he wouldn’t have to explain to Jed how his wife was killed in these desolate Maryland mountains.  He already had enough explaining to do.

He backed away as the paramedics lifted the stretcher into the waiting medical helicopter.  After Abbey’s agent jumped in, the pediatrician followed and was gently handed the baby carrier.  In a matter of seconds the helicopter cleared the ground and turned east, flying directly to Baltimore where two medical teams stood by.

Leo shook his head as he visualized the scene.  The smoldering car was being extinguished with hand held fire extinguishers and two bodies had been laid out beside the vehicle.  A white sheet covered each body.  A third man struggled against the handcuffs encircling his wrist as he was being walked toward a marked vehicle.

Sighing, Leo turned to go back to the vehicle he had jumped into to come to the scene.  

But he was stopped in his tracks by the ring of his cell phone.  Flipping it open, his heart sank. 

It was the White House.

  


	24. I Would Do Anything for You

Friday 8:15 am

“Leo! What the HELL are you three doing? IT WAS GOING TO BE ME!!! YOU TRICKED ME!”

“Sir, I…”

“Don’t ‘Sir’ me right now. I’m so mad I could kill all of you. Where’s Abbey? I want to talk her out of this hair brained idea before she gets hurt. Put her on the phone.”

“Sir…”

“I SAID PUT MY WIFE ON THE PHONE! CAN’T YOU HEAR ME?!”

“Yes, sir, everybody can hear you. If you will just calm down, I’ll tell you what’s going on.”

Ron came up to Leo’s side and heard every angry word coming from the President’s mouth. He mouthed to Leo ‘Let me talk to him.’

Leo shook his head. “No. he’ll just be pissed even more, if that’s possible, if you talk with him. I’ll tell him what’s going on.”

“Who are you talking to Leo? Give me my wife right now! That’s an order.”

“Sir, I can’t give you Abbey. She’s on her way to John Hopkins.” Leo steeled himself for the onslaught that was about to hit. “She was injured in the rescue but the docs say she’ll be fine.” Leo paused, awaiting the words he knew would come.

“Hurt? How bad? How bad, Leo? And whatever you do, don’t lie to me. I’ve been lied to enough and I WILL NOT be lied to again.”

“Yes, sir. Somehow, and I don’t know how yet, she was knifed in the shoulder as the kidnappers tried to escape with her and your grandson. I wasn’t here at that time so I’ll let Ron give you the details. But she’ll be okay and we have Tom. He looks fine and he’s on his way to Hopkins with Abbey as well.”

Jed paused as he tried to comprehend what Leo was telling him. Abbey knifed during the rescue of Tom? He shook his head, still trying to clear the cobwebs left over from his deep sleep. He still didn’t know how he had slept so long without disturbance but that was not important. Abbey and Tom was the priority right now.

In a calmer voice he asked, “What about the kidnappers? Did they escape?”

“No, sir. Two are dead and the third is on his way to the local jail courtesy of the FBI. That’s all that were here. And hopefully there’ll be no more found.”

Jed let out a sigh of relief. “Good. Now about Abbey. Tell me Leo, how bad was she hurt?”

“I don’t know for sure but she was talking when she left here and the only blood I could see was through a pressure dressing on her left shoulder. I suspect she’ll require some surgery to close the wound. But Jed, she was alert when she left.”

The use of his name calmed Jed down just a little. “How about Tom? What kind of problems is he having?”

“I don’t really know. We had a pediatrician here and he was checking the baby. All he said was that Tom was dirty but seemed to be okay.”

“Thank you God!” as he rolled his eyes to the heavens. “Okay. I’ll go straight to Baltimore. I should be there in the next half hour or so. Put Ron on.”

“Not if you’re going to fire him. He went along with mine and Abbey’s plan.”

“Leo, just put Ron on. Please.”

“Well, since you asked so nicely.” Leo offered the phone to Ron. “He wants to talk with you. Good luck.”

“Yes, sir?”

“I’ll talk with you later about your role in this mess but let me tell you what I’m going to do when I get back to Hopkins.”

Ron listened. “Yes, sir.” I’ll make sure the information gets to the agents on scene. And I’ll meet you in Baltimore.”

“Thanks, Ron. But we will still have the conversation.”

“I understand, sir. Goodbye.”


	25. I Would Do Anything for You

John Hopkins

Friday 11 am

 

Jed walked down the OB hall, pushing the open crib. He had sworn everyone to secrecy. He wanted to be the one to give Tom back to his mother. And his father. 

As the agents cleared the way, Jed thought back on the last hour. After speaking with Leo and Ron, he had boarded Marine One and made his way quickly back to John Hopkins. Landing on the same helipad as he did yesterday, he was met by Dr. Thomas and Dr. Walker. Inside the building, he was given a brief summary on the conditions of his wife and grandson. 

“Mr. President, I have an update on Mrs. Bartlet.”

“Go ahead. I don’t have all day.”

“You wife is still in surgery but is stable. The knife wound was fairly deep but from the report I received, it didn’t tear much muscle. Our Chief of Surgery is doing the repair and hopes she’ll be in recovery within the hour. He stated that, with appropriate therapy, she should recover most, if not all, of her normal function.”

“Good news. For once.”

“Sir?”

“Never mind. Dr. Walker, how’s my grandson?”

“A little dehydrated but nothing severe. He received good care by whoever had him. But we still want to evaluate the murmur. We understand the need to reunite him with his parents but then we have to get our neonatal cardiologist to assess him. His oxygen saturation is excellent so if there is a defect, it should be very small as he appears not to be suffering any ill effects from his experience.”

“That’s even better news. Now where can I get him? I want to surprise his parents. I know they’re still very upset.”

“Yes, sir. On the second floor we have him in a private room, surrounded by your agents. Let me take you there.”

“Let’s go.”

Dr. Walker led the small possession to the second floor and to Tom’s private room at the end of the hall, tucked away from the main traffic flow of the OB unit and at the opposite end of the floor from Ellie’s room.

As Jed walked over to the crib, his heart expanded and a deep feeling of love enveloped him as he gazed down at his sleeping three day old grandson. “You know, he has my eyes.”

Dr. Walker smiled. The President of the United States was no different from any other new grandparent.

“Come on, big fellow. I know some one who will be very glad to see you.” 

Knocking quietly on the door, he waited until he heard the quiet “Come in.” He pushed open the door and pushed the crib in ahead of him. “Hey, I’ve got somebody who wants to see his mom and dad.”

There was a second of silence before the screaming started. “He’s back. Is he okay? Dad, how did you get him back?” The smiles and squeals of joy coming from Ellie and Vic were making Jed well up.

“Vic, bring him here. I need to hold my boy.”

Vic picked up the baby and brought it over to Ellie’s outstretched arms. As Tom was deposited in his mother’s arms, she leaned down and gently kissed her son’s forehead. Vic sat down on the bed and put his arms around his wife and son, never taking his gaze away from his son’s face.

Jed was still looking at the reunion when the door was pushed open again and his other two daughters came through the door. 

“We heard Tom was …” Zoey stopped in midsentence when she saw the scene of mother and child and father hugging them both.

Then she saw her father standing by the now empty crib. “How? When? Who found him?”

Liz looked at the scene and started crying. “That’s the picture I prayed I would see.” Turning her attention to her father, she started to ask questions but Jed raised his hand and motioned them to leave. They knew what he meant. It was time to leave the new family alone to get acquainted.

After the door was shut behind them, Jed answered their questions. “He was found about an hour and a half ago. Three men were holding him in the western mountains and your mother was able to find him and bring him back.”

“Mom?!” That opened more questions than answers.

“Yes. We received a ransom note at the White House last night and the men wanted to trade the baby for me. But your mother, Leo and Ron got ahead of me and left early this morning for a meeting with them. I don’t know all the details. Your mother was injured during the confusion but somehow Ron and the FBI captured the men and Tom. He wasn’t hurt, just a bit dirty and dehydrated from his experience.”

“You said Mom was injured. How bad? With what?”

“A knife wound to her left shoulder. She’s in surgery now but should be out shortly. The doctors said it wasn’t too bad.”

Out of the corner of his eye, Jed saw one of the agents approaching. “Sir, your wife is in Recovery and asking for you.”

“Thanks. Girls, I’ll be back. And hopefully with your mother.”

“Okay. We’ll wait. With Tom back and mom safe we can wait for however long it takes.”


	26. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 26

Jed pushed open the door to the private Recovery area, nodding to the agent posted inside.  “You can leave us alone.  We’ll be fine.”

“But sir, I…”

“We’ll be fine.”

“Yes, sir.”  The agent reluctantly left.

Jed walked over to the bed and sat down beside it.  Grabbing one hand, he brushed her hair back from her forehead.  “We’ve got to stop meeting in places like these.”

That brought a weak smile and open eyes.  “Know a better place?”

“Yeah.  Our own bedroom.”

“I’ll make a note of it.”

“Abbey, how are you feeling?”

“Weak.  Tired.”

“Do you hurt?”

“A little.  But that’s normal.  How’s the baby?”

Now it was Jed’s turn to smile.  “Being smothered by his parents.”

“Good.”

Abbey closed her eyes again.  The effects of the anesthesia had yet to wear off.

“Abbey, what were you thinking?  Why did you put yourself at risk like that?”

“For Tom and for you.”  Her eyes reopened, focusing on those of her husband.

“For me?  I’m an adult and can take care of myself.”

“Yeah, but you do have a country to run.  I only have to run you.”

Jed smiled.  Abbey would be fine.  Her sense of humor was coming back.  “Okay.  For right now, how about you letting me run you?”

“Okay.”

Jed sat by the bedside a few more minutes until she dropped off to sleep.  He got up and walked back through the doors to see two very anxious daughters, his Chief of Staff and the Head of Presidential Security.

“She’s asleep.  I think they’ll move her to a room shortly.  In the meantime, Leo, Ron I need to speak with you.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Yes, sir.”

“Girls, why don’t you go back to your sister’s room and get acquainted with your nephew?  That is if your sister will let go of him.”

Jed watched as his daughters eagerly followed his suggestions.  When they had left, he turned to the two men.  “We need to have a conversation.  Now.”

   


	27. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 27

As the door to the conference room closed, Jed spun around and unleashed his built-up fury.  “How the HELL could you allow my wife to do something so foolish?  I mean she could have been assaulted or worse, heaven forbid, killed by those men.  It’s your job to prevent her from doing such foolish things.  I should fire both of you.”

Leo and Ron had anticipated the fury.  They had seen and experienced the Presidential anger many times but this was the first time that the cause for that anger was the serious injury of one of his own family.  

“Sir, I can explain.”

“Damnit Leo, you had better explain.  I’m ready to fire both your asses with nary a look back.  How could you have been so stupid to allow such a thing from happening?”

Ron spoke before Leo could respond.  “Sir, the decision was not made by us.  Mrs. Bartlett made the decision and we went along with it to protect her.”

“Ron, that’s insane.  Don’t blame my wife, especially when she’s not here to defend herself.  You have the final authority over our security and you could have stopped her.  It was your JOB to stop her.  Not only didn’t you stop her, you aided her and then stood by when she was hurt.  You didn’t do your JOB.”

Leo couldn’t sit quietly when the character of one of the finest men he had ever known was questioned.  Even if it was the President doing the questioning.  “Sir… ”

Jed turned his fury toward Leo.  “And you, you helped too.  Didn’t you think it was your JOB to let me know what the HELL was going on?  You could have stopped her from this crazy scheme but you aided her as well.  I should fire your ass just like I’m going to fire Ron’s.”

Leo stood his ground.  “Jed, give us a chance to explain and if you want to fire both of us, I’ll give you my resignation by tonight.  Just let us tell you what went on.  And I’ll tell you the truth.  You may not want to hear it but it will be the truth.”

He looked into Leo’s eyes and forty years of friendship came into focus.  Jed knew Leo would tell him the truth so he sat down and prepared to listen to the story.  “It had better be the truth, Leo.  It had better be.”

“Yes, sir.  Do you want the long or short version?”

“Leo, don’t play with me,” Jed growled.

“Yes, sir.  Well, about an hour after you and Abbey went upstairs last night I got a phone call from Abbey and she said she wanted a meeting with me.”

“I was asleep.  I didn’t know she was still awake.”

“Yes, sir.  And I think you should ask her how she helped you get to sleep so fast.  Anyway, she came to my office and told me what she had in mind.  That she was going in your place.  She had made a promise to Ellie that she would do anything it took to bring Tom back to her safely.  So she wanted to meet the kidnappers and exchange herself for the baby.  She knew that you were not expendable but she was.  But she was hopeful that things would go well.  Well, as you can imagine, I was very much against it but she said she would find a way to do it on her own if I didn’t help her.  I tried to persuade her not to do this but you know Abbey can be just as stubborn as someone else we both know very well.”

“Are you naming names?”  Jed allowed a slight grin to cross his face.

“No sir.”

“Good.  Now continue.”

“Anyway, it became more and more obvious that she meant what she said.  So I decided to do what I could to protect her and that’s when I called in Ron.  Like me, he was totally against it.  But again, like me, it seemed that Abbey was going to do it with or without our help.  So we helped her in order to protect her.”

“Some protection.  She was knifed.”

“Yes, sir.  But we had the FBI swat team and every Secret Service agent Ron could call in as well as local law enforcement there, in as close proximity to the meeting site as they could get without raising suspicion.  We knew she would be taken hostage but we had arrangements for that as well.”

A knock on the door interrupted the conversation.  

An agent stuck his head around the door.  “Sir, your wife has been moved to a room.”

“Thank you.  I’ll be finished here in a few minutes.”

“Yes, sir.”

Jed turned back to face the two men.  “Now, continue.”

   


	28. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 28

“How could she be protected if she was taken hostage?”

This time Ron had his answers.  “A hidden beacon.  We had an earring that had a location beacon.  Once she was out of the area and we had the baby in custody then we would follow the kidnappers and mount a rescue operation.  Minimal time held.”

“But apparently it didn’t happen that way.  What went wrong, Ron?”

“We hoped the kidnappers would live up to their promise and exchange Abbey for Tom.  We hoped but it didn’t turn out that way.  They got angry over the fact that you didn’t come.  They then insisted that your wife strip down to her underclothes…”

“WHAT?!”

Ron continued.  “They insisted that your wife strip down to her underclothes in the middle of the meadow in case she had a wire or something.  When they saw she didn’t have anything, she walked toward them, all the time insisting that she wouldn’t go any further until Tom had been released to her driver, which was me.  They had him stashed in the woods nearby and a third man came out to the edge carrying the baby carrier.  As Mrs. Bartlet got near the leader, he lunged forward and got her by the throat.  He put a knife up to her neck and said something.  We couldn’t hear what he said.  Then, suddenly, a car drove up and he threw her in the back seat.  That’s when things went wrong.”

“I’m waiting.”

“I still don’t know who fired the first shot.  It could have been the third man holding the baby or from one of the Swat team members.  I don’t have a complete report on the circumstances yet.  But anyway, shooting started and a bullet hit near the gas tank, allowing the gasoline to spread out onto the grass.  My agents and FBI agents swarmed toward the car, with my intent to get the First Lady out immediately, before an explosion could occur.  Just as I was dragging her out, the car did explode.  But Mrs. Bartlet only suffered minor burns on her arms and legs.  I immediately noted the knife wound and call for the ambulance which we had standing by.  The paramedics treated her and applied a pressure dressing to the wound.  A medical helicopter had been on standby a few miles away and was immediately dispatched to the scene.  We had her on her way to Baltimore in less than fifteen minutes after the incident occurred.”

“What happened to the two men in the car?”

“They died in the explosion.  And as I said earlier, the man with Tom was captured right away and he’s being interrogated right now.  I hope to have a preliminary report on your desk by this evening.  As well as my resignation.”

All three men sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts.  

Finally, Jed spoke.  “I’m going to see my wife.  Ron, we’ll talk again.  There’re some things I need to clarify with Abbey.”

All three men stood.  

Ron spoke first.  “Yes, sir.  Thank you, sir.”

“What about me?  Going to fire me too?”

“Leo, shut up will you?  Firing your ass depends on what Abbey says to me.”  Jed grinned at his best friend.  “Nervous?”

Leo returned the grin.  “No, sir.”

“Good.  Now it’s Abbey’s turn to be on the hot seat.  Thank you both for saving her.  I know how stubborn she can be at times.  And sometimes she is her own worst enemy.  But I'm still angry at you both for allowing her to do it.  After I talk with her, then I want to see you again.  Do you understand?”

“Yes, sir.” 

“Yes, sir.”


	29. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 29

Jed stopped for a moment outside of Abbey’s room, trying to gain some perspective.  If what Leo and Ron said was true, then Abbey was the prime suspect in this incident.  It was she that drove the other two men to do anything to protect her.  He had to give Leo and Ron credit for doing everything they could to protect her.

“Okay, let’s have some answers.”

“Did you say something, sir?”  Agent Marks asked.

“No, I was talking to myself.”

“Yes sir.”

Jed pushed open the door to the room.  Immediately Abbey, propped up in the bed, looked up and smiled.  

“Hi there.  Loved the flowers.”  Two dozen red roses sat on the bedside table.

“I should put them in the trash.”

“Why?”  Abbey asked anxiously.

“As payment for your stupid behavior,” as he leaned down to kiss her.  “Your very stupid behavior.”

Jed sat down by the bed.  “That was really stupid Abbey.”

“You said that already.”

“Yeah, and I’ll say it a few more times too.”

“But Tom’s back with his mother and he’s okay, isn’t he?”

“Yeah.  But that’s not the point.  They wanted me and I know that Ron would do everything in his power to protect me.  I was the one to go.  By the way, Leo said I should ask you why I slept so soundly and didn’t hear anything.”

Abbey mumbled something unintelligible.

“What did you say?”

Abbey looked into his ocean blue eyes and smiled.  “Because I gave you some help.  I gave you a sleeping pill.”

“When?  How?  I didn’t take any extra pills last night.  I only took my normal…Abbey, did you slip me a mickey?”

“Uh huh.”

“You’re not supposed to mix alcohol and pills.  You know better than that.”

“Well, I was desperate to get you to sleep and then keep you asleep.  If you had been awake then you would have tried to stop me and Tom might still be missing,”

“You don’t know that.”

“Jed, it was the only way.  I had to try something.  I just hoped that the kidnappers would accept me as a substitute.  But they didn’t and this is the result.”

“Has anybody ever told you that all actions have consequences?”

“Yeah.  I think one Josiah Bartlett tries to say it quite often.”

“And do you often listen to this very smart person, this Josiah Bartlett?”

“Hardly ever.”

“Yeah.  Well, not listening got you in this bed.  Want to tell me about your strip show?”

“You’ve talked with Ron?”

“Yeah.  Now Abbey, not only did you assault the President of the United States, a federal crime I might say, but you stripped for about thirty or forty law enforcement officers in a field.”

“Well, I didn’t have the good stuff on.  I only wear it for you.”

“ABIGAIL!”

“Shhh, Jed.  Keep your voice down.”

“Why did you do such a crazy thing?”

“The kidnapper told me to.  I guess he wanted to be sure I wasn’t wearing a wire.  I was scared, Jed.  I had done all these things and had come to a point where I had to get Tom back to Ellie.  I didn’t feel like I had a choice.  If I hadn’t done what he asked me too, I knew for a fact that Tom wouldn’t be returned.  If I complied with his orders, then I could keep hoping.”

“Go on.  What happened next?”

“I guess I got too close and he grabbed me and put a knife at my throat.  He told me then that he was going to keep me and Tom until you were brought to him.  A car came out of nowhere and he threw me in the back seat.  Told me that if there was gunfire, I was dead.  Of course, the way my luck was running, somebody fired a shot.  After that, it was a little confusing.  I felt the knife on my throat and I guess I turned at that moment and he got my shoulder instead.  The next thing I knew Ron had opened the other door and was pulling me out when the car exploded into flames.  I really don’t remember much after that except Leo telling me that Tom was okay.  I woke up in the helicopter and then didn’t know anything until I woke up in Recovery with you by my side.”

“And that’s where I’m going to stay.”

“How’s Ellie?  How was the reunion?”

“Beautiful, Mom.  Just beautiful.”

Both Jed and Abbey turned to see the door open and Ellie, Vic and the baby’s crib coming in the door.

“Oh, Mom.  Thanks.  Thanks so much.”  Ellie ran over to the bed and began to hug her mother.

“Ow.  That hurts.”  

Ellie jerked back in horror.  “Oh God, Mom.  I’m so sorry.  I forgot.”

Abbey grimaced while still trying to smile a little bit.  “It’s okay.  That’s what pain medicine is for.  How’s the family?”

Vic pushed the crib up to the bedside, the sleeping baby tucked inside safe and sound.  “We’re just fine.  Abbey, I can’t ever thank you enough for what you did.  You brought my family back together.  I’m just so grateful.”

“Vic, Jed would have done the same thing, if I had let him.”

“What are you talking about Mom?”

Both Jed and Abbey laughed.  “That’s a story for a different time.  Has the doctor checked Tom over?”

“Yeah.  He doesn’t have a heart defect.  It was just a transient murmur common in newborns.  He’s healthy and fine.  We’ll be going home in the morning.”

“Well, if I have a say so, so will I.  Although your father is not a good doctor, he’s good man.  That’s all that counts.”

Jed turned to Abbey, “Huh?”

Abbey smiled.  “Remember darling, I still have a rain check to cash in.”

Jed grinned broadly.  “Yep.  I have it right here next to my heart,” patting his shirt pocket.

Ellie and Vic smiled as Jed and Abbey kissed deeply.  They only hoped after forty years of marriage their love would still be as strong.  

“Come on, Vic.  Let’s leave the two love birds by themselves.”

Jed and Abbey never heard the door shut.  


	30. I Would Do Anything for You

Chapter 30

By the next afternoon Jed had returned to the Oval Office, and Abbey was safely tucked in the Residence, asleep.  Leo and Ron stood in front of the President’s desk, waiting for the conversation they knew was coming. 

Jed finished reading the report in his hands and looked up at the two men over his glasses.

“Ron, do you have anything to add?”

“No, sir.  It’s all right there.  One of our men fired, against orders I might add, and started the whole chain reaction.  My resignation is on that sheet of paper in front of you.  I will submit to the Treasury Secretary immediately.  It has been a pleasure and an honor to serve you these past few years.”

Jed nodded as he looked over the single sheet of paper with the few words typed on it. “Effective immediately, I hereby resign from the Secret Service of the United States.”  Ron’s scrawled signature completed the short statement.

“Leo, where’s yours?”

“Sir?”

“Where’s your resignation?  You both put my wife at risk for losing her life and you both not only didn’t stop her but helped her.  So where’s your resignation?”

“Uh, I haven’t written it yet.  Are you asking for it?”  Leo looked to Ron and then back to his best friend for the past forty years.  “I can write it right now if you’re asking for it.”  Leo started to leave and walk toward the door that separated his office from the Oval.

“Leo, stop.”

Three heads quickly turned to see the First Lady leaning against the doorway to the Portico, wrapped in her orange robe with pink slippers on her feet.

Jed walked quickly to envelop his wife in a tight hug.  “How long have you been there?”

“Long enough to hear what you tried to do.  How could you fire either one of these men, Jed?  They have saved your ass more times than I can even count.  As Ron and Leo said earlier, I was the one who insisted that I go.  No one else.  I was willing to go on my own but Leo and Ron both insisted they must accompany me.  If anyone is fired, it’s me.”  As she finished her statement, her knees gave way and Jed sprang to help her to the sofa where she sat with a sigh.

“Thanks.  Now Jed, are you going to fire me?”  Abbey looked at her husband expectantly, half expecting a positive answer.

“Of course not.  That would be silly.”

“Then apologize to Leo and to Ron.  They only got involved in this crazy scheme because of me.”

A minute of silence passed in the room before Abbey spoke again.  “Jed, I asked you to do something.  Are you going to do it?”

Jed looked at the determination in her face and turned to face Leo and Ron.  “I’m sorry.” 

Jed stood and hugged Leo.  “Thanks for all you did these past few days.  Both you and Ron protected Abbey from her own bad behavior.  How can I fire either one of you for that?”

“Well, sir I was beginning to wonder about it.”

“Leo, how could you even think I would fire you?  You are my right hand man, my Chief of Staff, and most importantly, my best friend.  I need you.”  Turning around, he extended a hand to his Chief of Presidential Security. “And Ron, I need you.  You did what you thought was right and I sincerely thank you for that.  Abbey and I both thank you for that.”

“Damn right.”  Abbey smiled at both of them.

“Uh, sir, we’ll leave you two alone.  I’ll speak to you later.”  With that Ron and Leo walked into his office and closed the door to the Oval Office.

Jed turned to Abbey.  “Why are you out of bed?  The doctor wants you to rest.”

Abbey smiled.  “Which doctor?  Perhaps the one sitting next to me?”

Jed returned her smile.  “Well, that one too.  Beside, he has a rain check for some afternoon delight.”

“Hell, Jed, I just got out of the hospital.  I don’t think I’m up to any barbecuing right now.”

“Well, Old Hickory says he could do it without your participation.”

“But, Jed, it’s much more fun when there are two doing the barbecuing.”

“I do know some shortcuts that would make your participation a little less involved than normal.”

Abbey struggled to stand but finally walked toward the door.  “Why don’t you show me what you mean?”

“Be glad to.  In fact, Old Hickory is warming up as we speak.”

“Can’t wait.”

“Neither can he.”

Laughter echoed from both as they left the Oval Office.

The agent standing guard outside the Oval Office wondered what the joke was but kept a straight face and escorted the First Couple to the Residence.  It would be a few hours before he would see the President again.  Afternoon barbecuing always took awhile.

THE END  


End file.
